There is one constant in the world of collegiate athletics, and that is that the team will lose and gain athletes every year; however, there is no predetermined turnover for coaches, especially head coaches.
This spring the University of Denver has seen the departure of seven coaches, including two head coaches. The most surprising departure is that of Head Coach Jim Henry, in men’s and women swimming. Henry has spent three years at DU and has led the Pioneers to back-to-back second place finishes in the Sun Belt Conference championships. He was also awarded Female Head Coach of the Year in 2005 and Male Head Coach of the Year in 2006. He will be leaving Denver to return to the University of Texas, his alma mater, where he enjoyed great success at the national level as a swimmer.
“It’s real tough, it definitely wasn’t in my plans. It was something that came up, something that was tough to say no to. I am very happy here; I think that the team here has done everything I have asked,” said Henry. “It’s been a rough 48 hours. And bitter sweet is a good thought for where I am right now. I am excited about my next opportunity, but right now I am struggling with having to give up something that I love dearly.”
The decision to leave Denver is not easy for any of the coaches. Director of Athletics and Recreation at DU, Peg Bradley-Doppes said of the coaches leaving, “It’s a clear reflection on the university and on the program. The coaches that have left here have left for better jobs, for professional and personal growth. And they are leaving here with a heavy heart.” She also said, “It’s hard because we are losing part of our family, but at the same time we have to celebrate their graduation. That’s what this time of year is, this is when people graduate. If they were leaving here and not going to better positions then I think there would be concern.”
The other coaches that will not be returning to the crimson and gold next year include the head of the ski program Kurt Smitz, who is retiring after rebuilding the ski program for 15 seasons. Smitz has led the ski team to four national championships. Smitz will continue to act as an advisor for the team. However, he will no longer be the head coach.
Also leaving from the ski team is Head Alpine Coach Lasse Paulsen. Paulsen will return to Norway to coach the national team there.
Tanya Haave, assistant coach for the women’s basketball team will go to University of San Francisco to become the head coach after having spent only a year at DU.
Seth Appert, assistant hockey coach, was recently named the head coach of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and will leave DU after having spent the last nine years on the Pioneers bench.
Amy Kleyweg, assistant volleyball coach for the last nine years, has been named the head coach of the DePaul volleyball team.
While it is difficult to see coaches leave and move on, there is the issue of the gaps and the voids that those coaches leave behind.
“Our coaches are not looking to leave. People are calling us up. So the word is out there that we are a good academic institution. We have been blessed with tremendous success, eight years in Division One and look at the number of conference championships we have in comparison to schools that have been Division One for 50 years,” said Bradely-Doppes. “So it is a good environment. I think what helps us is, when we recruit people to DU, we are not recruiting them here just for athletics. We are recruiting them to this academic institution, this beautiful campus and this great community.”
Therefore, while it is hard to let coaches go, there are some things that cannot be prevented, Bradley-Doppes said. Good coaches are sought after across the nation, and to have so many schools targeting the coaches at DU for recruitment shows the caliber of coaches that lead the Pioneers into competition, she said.
There will be more coaches that come and go just as the athletes come and graduate; but one thing will remain the same, they are all Pioneers, she said.
